Protest against price hike concludes peacefully
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, July 05 2010: Twin protests against price hike in the state separately, general cease-work strike called by CPI Manipur State Council and down to dusk bandh imposed by the BJP Pradesh ended peaceful with partial response.

Both the strikes commenced simultaneously from 6 am and concluded at 6 pm.

The strikes severely affected to the normal business in Imphal as most of the shops and business establishments, opened in the early hour today, were closed later when CPI workers including its leaders conducted the campaign during its general cease-work strike.

They went round the streets and forced to close shops and business establishments during the strike hours even though no report of BJP workers enforcing the bandh was seen any where.

CPI leader, L Shotinkumar who took part in the campaign criticized the UPA government for hiking the prices of the petroleum products lamenting that this will led to the hiking the prices of the essential commodities directly.

Red flags abound in Imphal streets as Bharat Bandh brings life to a halt

The decision of the government (UPA government) adds another burden to the people of the state who are experiencing artificial scarcity of essential goods due to problems on the highways, Shotinkumar said.

Reiterating the party demand, he said "Unless security force is deploy permanently and control extortion activities of the anti-social elements on the highways, people of the state will continue to suffer from artificial scarcity of goods items and price hike" .

The CPI Manipur state council imposed the general cease-work strike today as part of its series of protest against hiking of prices of essential commodities and demanding protection of the highways by highway protection force.

Nine volunteers of All India Youth Federation who forced to close shops in the city areas were picked up by the police at about 9 am from Masjid road.

They also detained president Sh Purnimashi and secretary Akham Kunjakishore.

They were released later.

In the afternoon also workers of CPI led by its state secretary, Langol Iboyaima and assistant secretary Laishram Shotinkumar conducted campaigns seeking cooperation from the people in the general cease-work strike of the party against price hike.

On the other hand normal, the BJP called down to dusk bandh, normal movements of vehicles on the streets were not affected.

BJP workers also took to the streets at Yaiskul area and blocked movement of vehicles a part of bandh but it was not much effective.

By and large no untoward incident occurred during the down to dusk bandh Meanwhile, president of the BJP state unit, Sh Shantikumar has praised the people for extending cooperation to the bandh called against price hike in the state.

He claimed that the bandh was called with the moral support of the people who are experiencing hardship owing to the prolonged imposition of economic blockade on the national highways coupled with the refusal of the truckers and transporters to resume normal service on the NH-39 .

Reiterating that the team of BJP led by opposition leader in the Lok Sabha, MP Sushma Swaraj is arriving in Imphal on Thursday, he said the objective of the visiting team is to access the present prevailing situation in the state where people are facing artificial scarcity of goods as a result of the prolong economic blockade on the highways and decision of the truckers and transporters not to ply the NH-39 .

The team will include deputy leader of the Rajya Sabha, SS Ahluwalia, national vice-president, MP Bijoykraborty and zonal organizational secretary, North East states P Chandrasekhar Rao, he said.

During their stay in the state capital, they will attend a party worker meeting and also holds interaction with the leaders of civil organisations.